Rudder mechanism



July 18, 1961 .1.1'. HECKEL, JR 2,992,623

RUDDER MECHANISM Filed Sept. 23. 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. `)"afwv 7.' #5r/(1, JR.

July 18, 1961 J. T. HECKEL, JR

RUDDER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 23, 1959 INVENTOR.

Patented July 18, i961 ration- Filed Sept. 23, 1959, Ser. No. 841,887 7 Claims. (Cl. 114-165) The present invention relates to nautical steering apparatus and more particularly to rudder releasing mechanism for sail boats and other small craft.

One object of the present invention is to provide a rudder mechanism which eliminates the possibility of darnage to the rudder or to the stern of the boat when the rudder encounters a submerged obstacle such as a rock or the bottom in shallow water.

A further object is to provide a rudder release mechanism in which the rudder will automatically swing upwardly when striking an obstruction, and in which the rudder may be easily restored manually to operating position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rudder mechanism which carries out the above objects and is simpler in construction and less expensive to manufacture .than prior art structures of the same type yet is' easy to install and operate, compact, and very eiicient and durable `in use.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the `accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. l is a side elevation of a rudder mechanism embodying the present invention showing one operating position in solid lines and another operating position in dotted lines.

FIG. Z is a fragmentary top plan View of the rudder mechanism of FIG. 1 with the tiller removed from the mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows and showing a bearing member forming a portion of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective View of a small sailboat equipped with a rudder mechanism constructed according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a rudder mechanism forming an alternative embodiment to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, this invention comprises a rudder which has secured near the upper end thereof by means of rivets 11-11, a pair of vertically spaced bifurcated members 12-12 which are arranged in straddling relationship to the rudder. The bifurcated members have forwardly projecting portions 13-13 which are formed with vertically aligned bores 15-15 having reciprocally received therein a vertical shaft 16. A bearing member 17 is received upon the upper end of the vertical shaft 16, and has the shaft journalled therein. A cotter pin 20 is disposed within a suitable aperture in the shaft 16 and prevents the shaft moving axially downwardly out of the bearing member 17.

A generally rectangular mounting plate 21 is fixed t0 the upper portion of the stern of the boat 22 by means of wood screws 23. The mounting plate has a pair of upwardly and rearwardly extending ears 25 through which is received a pin 26 which provides a journal mounting for the bearing member 17, the bearing member being pivotal on the pin 26 about the horizontal axis of the pin. Fixed to the stern of the boat 22 by means of wood screws 30 is a bearing member 31 having an upwardly facing cup-shaped recess 32. The lower rounded end 33 of the shaft 16 is yieldably held within the cup-shaped recess 32 by means of a coiled compression spring 35 received about the shaft and between the annular disc 36 and the uppermost of the bifurcated members 12.v The annular disc 36 is prevented from axial downward movement with respect to the shaft 16 by means of a cotter pin 37 received within a suitable aperture in the shaft.

In normal operation the rudder 10 is maintained in the solid line position of FIG. 1 and may be swung about the vertical axis of the shaft 16 by means of a tiller 40 pivotally mounted upon the upper end 41 of the rudder. The cup-shaped recess 32 has a suliciently shallow depth that, when the rudder engages an obstruction or the bottom in shallow water, the lower end 33 of the shaft will be forced out of cup-shaped recess 32 and the rudder pivoted rearwardly about the axis of the pin 26 to a position such as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. l. The bearing member 31 is provided in its upwardly facing surface with a tapered recess 45 (FIG. 3) which leads into the cup-shaped recess 32. lIn order to restore the rudder to the solid line position 31, it is only necessary to force the rudder downwardly and the lower rounded end 33 of the shaft will be guided by the tapered recess 45 into the cup-shaped recess 32 whereby the rudder is again in proper position for steering the boat. It should be noted that the bearing member 31 has a attened surface 46 which prevents the shaft from being deflected sidewardly when it is pivoted downwardly into steering position. l

Referring now to FIG. 5, an alternative construction within the scope of my invention is in most respects identical to the above described embodiment with the following exceptions. The shaft 16' is fixed to the bifurcated members 12-12 by means of cotter pins 5]- 50 or any other suitable means. Instead of the spring 35 and cotter pin 36 acting to urge only the shaft 16 downwardly into the recess 32, a spring 35is received upon the shaft 16 between the uppermost bifurcated member 12 and the bearing 17 and acts to urge the complete assembly including rudder 10', bifurcated members 12 and shaft 16' downwardly.

To simplify the manufacture of the device and to eliminate any possibility off the recess 32 becoming filled with d-irt or other material, bore 32 is drilled completely through bearing member 31. When the device is in steering position with shaft 16 received in the bore 32', the lower surface of the lower bifurcated member `12 ybears against the upper surface of bearing member 31 limiting and determining the extent of projection of the shaft 16 into the bore 32.

The operation of this embodiment is identical to that above described with the exception that, when the shaft 16 is moved into or out of the bore 32, the complete assembly including the rudder 10', bifurcated members 12 and shaft 16 must move upwardly as a unit toward the pivot point (the axis of pin 26') in order that the shaft can move through tapered recess 45.

It will be obvious from the above description that the present invention provides a rudder release mechanism in which the rudder will automatically swing upwardly when striking an obstruction, and in which the rudder may be easily restored manually to operating position. It will also be obvious from the above description that the rudder mechanism of the present invention is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and `described and' that all changes yand'modiiications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

l. Rudder mechanism for a boat comprising a rudder, forwardly projecting members secured to said rudder, a vertical shaft passing through said members, a bearing member received on the upper end of said shaft and having said shaft journalled therein, said bearing member mounted upon said boat for pivoting about a horizontal axis, a spring acting against one of said members and urging said shaft downwardly, and a bearing member secured to the stern of said boat and having an upwardly facing recess providing a 'bearing for said shaft, said recess being sufficiently shallow to allow said shaft to unseat when said rudder strikes an obstruction.

2. Rudder mechanism for a boat comprising a rudder, forwardly projecting members secured to said rudder adjacent the upper end thereof, said members having vertically aligned bores therethrough, a vertical shaft reciprocably received within said bores and having a rounded lower end, a spring acting against one of said members and urging said shaft downwardly, a bearing member received on the upper end of said shaft and having said shaft journalled therein, retainer means received in said -shaft preventing said shaft from passing downwardly out of said bearing, said bearing member mounted upon the boat for pivoting about a horizontal axis, and a second bearing member `secured to the stern of said boat, said second bearing member having an upwardly facing, cup shaped recess providing a bearing seat for the lower end of said shaft, said recess being sufficiently shallow to allow said shaft to unseat and pivot rearwardly when said rudder strikes au obstruction, said second bearing mem- 'ber having a tapered recess on the upper surface thereof converging forwardly and leading into said cup-shaped recess for guiding said shaft into seating relationship with said cup-shaped recess.

3. Rudder mechanism for a boat comprising a rudder, a pair of vertically spaced bifurcated members straddling and iixed to the upper end of said rudder and projecting forwardly therefrom, said members Ihaving vertically aligned bores therethrough, a vertical shaft reciprocably received within said bores, and having a rounded lower end, an annular disc received on said shaft between said bifurcated members` and fixed against downward axial movement with respect to said shaft, a coiled compression spring surrounding said shaft and received between the uppermost of said bifurcated members and said disc and urging said shaft downwardly, a bearing member received on the upper end of said shaft and having said shaft journalled therein, a retainer pin received in said shaft preventing `downward movement of said shaft with respect to said bearing member, said bearing member mounted upon the boat for pivoting about a horizontal axis, and a second bearing member secured to the stern of the boat, said second bearing member having anupwardly facing cup-shaped recess providing a bearing seat for the lower end of said shaft, said recess being sufficiently shallow to allow said shaft .to unseat and pivot rearwardly when said rudder strikesy an obstruction, said second bearing member having a tapered recess on the upper surface thereof converging forwardly and leading into said cup-shaped recess for guiding said shaft into seating relationship with said-cup-shaped recess.

4. Rudder mechanism for a boat comprising a rudder, forwardly projecting members secured to said rudder, a vertical shaft passing through said members, a bearing member received on the upper end of said shaft and having said shaft journalled therein, said bearing member mounted upon said boat for pivoting about a horizontal axis, a spring acting against one of said members andV urging said shaft downwardly, and a bearing member secured to the stern of said boat and having an aperture providing a bearing for said shaft, said shaft extending a suiciently small distance into said aperture to allow said shaft to unseat when said rudder strikes an obstruction.

5. Rudder mechanism for a boat comprising a rudder, forwardly projecting members secured to said rudder, a vertical shaft passing through said members, a bearing member received on the upper end of said shaft and having said shaft journalled therein, said bearing member mounted upon said boat for pivoting about a horizontal axis, a spring acting against one of said members and urging said shaft downwardly, and a bearing member secured to the stern of said boat and having a vertical bore therethrough providing a bearing for said shaft, a lowermost of said forwardly projecting members bearing against said second mentioned bearing member so that said shaft extends only a suiciently small distance into said aperture to allow said shaft to unseat when said rudder strikes an obstruction.

6. Rudder mechanism for a boat comprising a rudder, a pair of vertically spaced forwardly projecting members secured to said rudder adjacent the upper end thereof, said members having vertically aligned bores therethrough, a vertical shaft -xed within said bores and having a rounded lower end, a bearing member received on the upper end of said shaft and having said shaft journalled therein, a spring received on said shaft and acting to urge apart said bearing member and the uppermost of said forwardly projecting members, retainer means received in said shaft preventing said shaft from passing downwardly out of said bearing, said bearing member mounted upon the boat for pivoting about a horizontal axis, and a second bearing member secured to the ste-rn of said boat, said second bearing member having a vertical bore therethrough providing a bearing Seat for the lower end of said shaft, the lowermost of said forwardly projecting members bearing against said second bearing member so that said shaft extends only a sufficiently small distance into said bore to allow said shaft to unseat when said rudder strikes an obstruction, said second bearing member having a tapered recess on the upper surface thereof converging forwardly and leading into said bore for guiding said shaft into seating relationship in said bore.

7. Rudder mechanism fora boat comprising a rudder, a pair of vertically spaced bifurcated members straddling and fixed to the upper end of said rudder and projecting forwardly therefrom, said members having vertically aligned bores therethrough, a vertical shaft fixed within said bores and having a rounded lower end, a bearing member received on the upper end of said shaft and having said shaft journalled therein, a coiled compression spring surrounding said shaft and received between the uppermost of said bifurcated members and said bearing member and urging said shaft downwardly, a retainer pin received in said shaft preventing downward movement of said shaft with respect to said bearing member,

said bearing member mounted upon the boat for pivot` ing about a horizontal axis, and a second bearing member secured to the stern of the boat, said second bearing member having a vertical bore therethrough providing a bearing seat for the' lower end of said shaft, 'the lowermost of said forwardly projecting members bearing against said second bearing member so that said shaft extends only a sufficiently small distance into said bore to allow said shaft to unseat when said rudder strikes an Vobstruction, said second bearing member having Va tapered recess on the upper surface thereof converging forwardly and leading into said bore for guiding saidV shaft into seating relationship in said bore.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATESY PATENTS 

